Elevator-signaling system



April 6, 1929. R. H. GAYLORD 1,709,785

ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 06 M9 1/ 54 U U 21 TTORNEYS April 6, 1929. R. H. GAYLORD 1,709,785

ELEVATOR S IGNALING SYSTEI Filed Jan. 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR flair/f @y/ord,

A TTORNEXS Patented Apr. 1671929.

UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. GAYIDRD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ELEVATOR-SIGN ALIN G SYSTEM.

Application filed January 13, 192?. Serial No. 160,869.

type by any elevator car unless such car has stopped at the corresponding floor in respouse to the signal. A further object of the invention is to provide'for operation of the restoring mechanism ask-the car starts away from the corresponding landing, instead of at the time of stoppin of the car or of opening or closing of the oor thereof, as has been heretofore proposed.

It is frequently advantageous to prevent an elevator car from operating the restoring mechanisnr for cancelling the signals and rendering the signaling circuits ino erative for a given floor and direction 0 travel unless such car has stopped at such floor in response to such signals. F or example, if a certain car is already filled with passengers or if for some other reason the operator desires to pass a certain floor at which he has received a signal to step, without stopping,

then it such car is permitted to operate the restoring mechanism the signal circuits will be rendered inoperative and the next car will not receive a signal nor give a signal at the landing unless the awaiting passenger again operates the push button or circuitclosing means at the landing. It has been customary, as shown in the Smalley and Reiners patent aforesaid, to provide a circuit-opening switch in each. elevator car, which is included in the restoring circuit so that if the operator ofany car desires to pass a floor under the above described conditions without stopping he may open this switch and thereby prevent operation of the restoring mechanism, so that the signal cireuits will be retained in condition f r reception and operation by the next succeeding car. According to my present invention, however, I provide means whereby under these conditions the restoring mechanism is automatically prevented from operation by the car which passes the landing without stopping and the signals are thus automatically transferred to the next succeeding car, without requiring operationof a circuitopening switch by the car-operator. Furthermore elevator signaling systems of this type are some times provided with means, such as shown for example in my patent application Ser. N 0. 658,736, filed August 22, 1923, and Ser. No. 700,604, filed March 20, i924, whereby it one car has received a signal to stop at a given landing or has caused operation of the signal at such landmg, any other car which enters the same signaling zone is automatically prevented from giving and receiving such signals, so as to prevent duplication of signals, and resulting confusion. In such cases, since the signaling zone for any floor (that is, the zone within which a car is adapted to receive or give signals for that floor) frequently extends as much as two floors in advance of that floor, it is possible for a second car which enters such signaling zone after a preceding car has alread entered the zone and assumed control of t e signaling operation therein, to overtake the preceding car and pass that floor without stopping (having received no signal to stop) and unless some means are provided to prevent operation of the restoring mechanism by such car, the restoring mechanism will be operated and the signals for the car which had previously assumed control thereof will be vcancelled and the signal circuits rendered inoperative, thus causing further confusion and uncertainty on the part of both the car operator and the waiting passenger. By the provision of means according to my invention, whereby the operation of the restoring mechanism is dependent upon (but not coincident with) the stopping of the car at the landing, the above condition is prevented from occurring and much confusion and. uncertainty is thus eliminated.

It has been heretofore proposed to provide means whereby the stop ing of the car or the opening or closing of the door thereof causes operation of the restoring mechanism but such systems are open to mechanical objections such as large number of parts required, excessive wiring, etc., and are also open to the objection that the restoring operation occurs either at the time of stopping of the car or while the car is still at the landing instead of after the car starts to move away from the landing as in the Sumlley and Reiners patent aforesaid and as provided for by my invention. \Vhen the. signals are cancelled by operation of the restoring mechanism when the car stops at the landing or while it is still at-the landing, a passenger a preaching the elevators at the landin a ter such signal has been cancelled and w iile the. car is still at the landing will not be furnished with any signal indicating the presence of the car. The duration of the signaling operation is therefore not maintained as long as it should be in order to produce the best results. Furthermore in such cases if the operator finds after stopping at the landing and opening the door, and causing operation of the restoring mechanism by either of these operations, that he can not accommodate all the passengers waiting at the landing, it is then impossible for him to transfer the signal to the next succeeding car since the signal circuits have alread been rendered inoperative by the operation of the restoring mechanism. According to my invention the signals are maintained in operation until after the car which has stopped at the landing starts to move away from the same, so that any passenger approaching the elevator after the car has stopped is furnished with a proper signal; and also if the operator, after he has stopped the car and taken on some of the passengers, finds that he can not accommodate all the passengers, he may by operation of a circuit-opening switch in the car, open the restoring circuit so as to prevent operation of the restoring mechanism by the movement, of his car away from the landing and thus cause the signals to be transferred to the next car. Other objects and advantages of my invention will be described hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of my invention and referring thereto: 7

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a signaling system for one elevator car of an installation, embodying means according to my invention for controlling the restoring operation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the main secondary circuit controller for the signal circuits for one floor and direction of travel.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the restoring circuit control'switclrin closed position.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a caroperated switch or commutator of the type shown in said Smalley and Reinerspatent.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view and Fig. 9 a side elevation of a switching device according to my invention for controlling the restoring operation.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have illustrated diagrammatically the various parts of a signaling system of the Smalley and Reiners type and embodying my invention, for a single elevator car indicated at 1. A

suitable source of electricity for example an ordinary dynamo or generator 1s 1ndicated at 2, although it will of course be understood-that it will in general not be necessary to provide a special source of elec-- tricity as the same may be obtained by con necting the operating circuits, through suitable voltage reducing means if desired, to the usual electric ower lines. The elevator car 1 is provide with an electrically op.- erated or controlled car signal 3, which may for example be an electric lamp. Electrically operated or controlled landing signals may also be provided at the landings and adjacent the elevator shaft for signaling an intendin passenger that the elevator car is approac ing him in the direction which he desires to go. These signals are indicated at 4 to 11 inclusive and are also preferably electric lamps, there being a single lamp at the top and bottom floors, and a pair of lamps at each intermediate floor for indicating the approach of a downwardly and an upwardly moving car respectively, such as lamps 5 and 6 for the second floor.

Suitable manually operated circuit clos ing means such as ordinary push buttons are also provided at each floor, by operation of which the intending passenger may close or cause to be closed a break in the signal circuits for the floor and direction of'travel corresponding to such circuit-closing means, thus placing such signal circuits in such'condition that when the car-operated switch or commutator closes another break therein, said circuits will be completed and the proper signal means will be operated. The manually operated or primary circuit closing means at the landings are indicated at 14 to 21 inclusive, the top and bottom floors each being provided with one of such rimary circuit closers and each intermediate floor with two, one for signaling the downward moving cars and the other for signaling upwardly moving cars, such as circuit closers 15 and 16 respectively at the second floor, as is customary in such devices. One side of each of said manually operated circuit closing means, .for example one of the contacts of each push button in case such means are used, is connected to a suitable source of current such as battery 22 and the other side of each of said manually operated circuit closing means (excepting those at the top and bottom doors) is connected to a corresponding set-ting magnet adapted to control an electromagnetically operated or secondary circuit closing means included in the signal circuits for that floor and direction of travel, the circuit being completed from the other side of said setting magnet to the other side of battery 22 as hereinafter described. These setting magnets corresponding to push buttons 15 to 20 inclusive are indicated at 25 to 30 respectively while the secondary circuit closing means controlled thereby are indicated at 31 to 36 respectively.

A car-operated switching device or commutator 38 is provided for each elevator car and is operated by connection with said car or with the operating mechanism therefor in any suitable manner, the construction and operation of said switch being substantially the same as described in said Smalley and Rciners patent with the exception that the switch shown herein is adapted for a five story or five landing signal system instead of for seven landings as shown in said Smalley and Reiners patent. The contacts and the electrical connections for the car-controlled switching device are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, while the mechanical construction of such switch is shown more clearly in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive. The switch or commutator 38 is adapted to determine the time when the signals for the corresponding car shall be operated, that is the time when the signal means such as lights at the landing and in the car will be lighted up provided that a push button or primary circuit closer has been operated so as to close the other normally open break at the secondary circuit closer in the signal circuit. Each commutator consists of suitable fixed and relatively moving contacts and in the present embodiment the brushes are indicated as constituting the moving members thereof, said brushes being arranged in two groups corresponding respectively to up and down travel of the car and adapted to contact respectively and alternatively with tyvo corresponding groups of fixed contacts arranged on opposite sides of the commutator.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 7 said switching device or commutator 38 comprises a moving member or brush carrier 39 adapted to be moved back and forth by operation of the corresponding car, said moving member for example comprising a nut 40' which is adapted to work on a screw shaft 41 operated by connection with the car operating means in any suitable manner. Suitable means are provided for tilting said moving member on said shaft at each end of its path so as to shift the brush carrier so that one group of brushes is operatively engaged with the corresponding fixed contacts while the elevator car is travelling upwardly and the other group of brushes is operatively engaged with the other corres onding group of fixed contacts during the clbwnward travel of the elevator car. Means for effecting this tilting operation may consist of a frictional hearing means as shown at 42 in Fig. 7 engaging screw shaft 41 whereby the nut 40 is caused to tend to turn or tilt toward one side or the other in correspondence with the direction of rotation of said screw shaft,

and such means may further comprise a guide member 43 adapted to engage an arm 44 on nut 40 to hold the brush carrier tilted to one side while it is travelling in one direction and to the other side while it is travelling in the opposite direction, all as set forth in the patent to Smalley and Reiners above referred to.

The group of fixed contacts in each commutator for the control of the down signals at the landings comprises two series of contact plates, one of such series being indicated at 47, 49, and 51, and the other series at 53, 55, and 57. These two series of contacts are adapted to be engaged by the brushes as the car moves downwardly and it will be observedv that each plate of the first named series is connected to a down light at the corresponding landing, that is contact plate 47 is connected to lamp 5, contact 49 to lamp 7, and contact 51 to lamp 9.

The second named series of contact plates are connected respectively to the corresponding clcctromagnetically controlled switches or secondary circuit closing means indicated as mercury pots ill, 33, and 35 for control of the down signal circuits, each of which is provided with pivoted contact arm 59. Said pivoted arms 59 for the said mercury pots are operated respectively by setting magnets 25, 27, and 29 which are connected to and controlled by the respective down push buttons or primary circuit closers 15, 17, and 19. The pivoted contact arms are all electrically connected to one side of the dynamo or source of current 2.

The construction and arrangement of the mercury pots 31 to 36 inclusive, together with the setting and restoring magnets for controlling the operation of the pivoted circuit closing arms 59 is illustrated in Fig. 2. Each setting magnet, such as 27, has an armature 60 adapted to control said contact arm 59. Said arm is normally held out of contact with the mercury in the mercury pot as shown in Fig. 2 by engagement of armature 60 with the other end of said arm as at (51, thereby causing a break in the sig nal circuits for the corres 'iondiug floor and direction of travel at this point. Upon energization of the setting magnet due to closing of the circuit at the corresponding push button, armature 60 will be attracted and contact arm 59 thereby released, permitting said arm to fall into the mercury pot, such as 33, and make contact with the mercury therein so as to close the circuit at this point. There is provided a restoring magnet as indicated at 63 to 68 for each of the contact arms 59 for restoring the same to the normal position as shown in Fig. 2 as the car starts to move away from the floor for which the signal has been operated, as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

It will be seen that each intermediate tloor, for the downward travel of the car, is served by one of said floor signal lamps such 5, a contact plate of the ear-operated switch such as 47 connected therewith, a contact plate such as 53 adapted to be electrically connected to said first-named plate as hereinafter described, said latter contact being connected to the source of electrical supply through an electromagnctically controlled switch means or secondary circuit closer such as 31 adapted to be operated by operation of a push button or primary circuit closer such as 15 at the corresponding landing. In order to control electrical connection between contact plates 47 and 53, 49 and etc., there is provided a brush or brushes for each series of plates, as indicated at 69 and 71, these brushes being electrically connected as indicated. It \\'1ll be obvious that when any one pair of these brushes engage the respective contact plates, for example contact plates 47 and 53, the corresponding floor lamp such as lamp will be lighted up provided the other breaks in the circuit are closed. It is preferred to provide several pairs ot' these brushes 6t) and 71 and to space the pairs a distance apart less than the width of any single plate of the series so that each pair of corresponding plates such 47 and will be electrically connected while the car is moving for several floors so that the floor light will light up several floors in advance of the cars and will remain lighted until the car reaches the floor, this arrangement of the brushes being shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 and being also shown in Fig. 4.

The car signal circuits are also controlled by contact means in the car-operated commutator, comprising for example a long contact strip 73, clectri ally connected to the car signal in the corresponding car and th nce to the source of electric power. There is provided one or more pairs of brushes 75 and 77, said brushes being electrically connected together adapted to make contact with contact strip 7? and brushes 75 being adapted to make contact with the series of contacts 53, and 57. it is preferred to provide contact strip 73 and brushes 77 rather than to attach the rireuit from the car lamp directly to brushes 7 but this construction may not be necessa 3; in a l cases. The car signal is therefore ll] circuit with bru h means, such as brushes 7.3 adapted to engage the series of contacts 53, and 57. 111 the present en'ibodimcnt these brushes 75 are shown as separate brushes from the brushes 71 af resaid and this is the construction that is preferred but it will be observed as ll()\Vll in Fig. -t that when these brushes are in the position shown in that one brush 7t rests on the same contact p: Me as a rush T5 and at that time said brushes are in mice, a single brush.

and the brushes 77 being One purpose of separating said brushes, however, is to provide ditterent periods of advance operation of the landing signals and car signals. For example, in order to light up the car light only a floor or so before the car reaches the floor, brushes 75 and 77 are located behind the foremost brushes ()9 and 71, so that the car light will not be lighted up until somewhat after the floor light is lighted. It is preferable to provide two or more pairs of the connected brushes 75 and 77 separated by a distance less than the width of each contact plate so as to maintain the car light in operation for the desired length of time.

Restoring means are also provided for automatically restoring the circuits to normal condition after an elevator car which is in control of the signals has passed by the floor at which the signals have been operated, such restoration of the circuits to normal condition being accomplished in this instance by opening the secondary circuit closer, that is by raising the corresponding contact arm 59 out of its mercury pot such as 33. Such restoring means may comprise the restoring magnets (53 to 68 aforesaid, of which magnet is shown in Fig. 2. Said electromagnet 65 will when energized attract armature means 79 on contact arm 55) and lift said. arm out of the mercury pot 33 and cause the other end of said contact arm to be again brought underneath the end of armature 60 where it will be held until the setting magnet 27 is again energized. In order to energize the restoring magnets for the down signals at the proper time there are provided a series of contacts 81, 83, and 85 upon the car-operated switch or commutator and connected to the corresponding clectromagnets 63, 65, and 67. Brush 87 is adapted to engage said contacts and is connected in any suitable manner to battery 22, for example as shown, by being electrically connected to a brush 89 engaging contact strip 91 which is electrically connected, through controlling switch means as hereinafter described, to

said battery. The respective contact plates 81, 83, and 85 are positioned that when the car starts to move away from any floor at which the signals for that car have been operated, brush 87 will engage the corresponding one of said contacts and will, subject to the previous operation of said controlling switch mcans due to the stopping of said car, energize the corresponding re storing magnet. so as to break the signal circuits at the secondary circuit closer as above set forth.

The brushes above mentioned have been shown in Fig. 4 in the relative positions they occupy as the car is descemting, these brushes therefore controlling the car sig nail to --aid car during downwardly travel and the down signals at the landings for that car. In Fig. 1, the brushes are omitted from that part of the commutator corresponding to the upward travel of the car, as such brushes are not in operative position at this time, being out of operative contact with the up plates on that side of the commutator. Contact plates and strips 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 74, 82, 84, 8G, and 82 are also provided, however, at the other side of the car-operated switch and are connected in the circuits and ada ted to function during upward travel of t 1e car in the same manner as the above described contacts function in the downward motion of the car. When the car moves upwardly the brushes for the up contact plates are shifted into such position by means operated by the car as shown in said Smalley and Reiners patent, so as to bring such brushes into position to engage the up contact plates aforesaid and thus control the up signals and the corresponding restoring magnets. This shifting of the brushes Wlll be referred to hereinafter. The brushes for the up contact plates are similarly but opositely arranged to those above descrlbed lbr the down contact plates. Said up brushes are indicated at 70, 72, 76, 78, and 90 in Fig. 5 in inoperative position during downward movement of the car, said brushes being inoperative because of the fact that each connected pair of brushes such as and 72, engage only one series of contact plates, such as the series 54, 56, and 58. A brush corresponding to brush 87 Is also provided at the up side of the commutetor, said brush, however, being obscured in Fig. 5 by another brush 142 ref erred tohereinafter. Mercury pots or secondary circuit closers 32, 34, and 36, setting magnets 26, 28, and 30 and restoring magnets 64, 66, and 68 for controlling the up signal circuits are connected and adapted to function in a similar manner to those above set forth for the down signal circuits. The system is therefore provided with similar control means for the signaling operations during both upward and downward movement of the cars.

A night signal or bell 95 maybe included in the push button circuits, said bell being normally short-circuitcd through switch 96 and being adapted to operate upon closing a push-button only when said switch is open, for example at night.

The above description of the signal system applies to all intermediate floors, but in order to provide for operation of the signals at the top and bottom floors at the proper time it will be observed that the commutator contacts corresponding to the down signals at the top floor are located in the same series as those for the up signals for intermediate floors, while those for the up signals for the bottom floor are grouped with those for the down signals at intermediate floors. It will also be observed that in the normal operation of the elevators there is no need in the case of the top and bottom floors of the manually operated primary circuit closers nor of the electromagnetically operated secondary circuit closers controlled thereby. There are therefore no mercury pots for the signals at these floors nor any setting and rwtoring magnets nor restoring contact plates in the ear-operated switches, such signals being adapted to always operate when a car enters the signal zone. Push buttons 14 and 21 are, however, provided at the bottom and top floors respectively and are connected to battery 22, such connection preferably including a suitable resistance 97 so as to compensate for the absence of a setting magnet in the circuits of such push buttons. These push buttons normally have no function, but when the elevators are not in normal operation for example at night, switch 96 may be opened and in such case closing of any push button, including 14 and 21, will cause bell 95 to ring. These special provisions are also substantially the same as in the said Smalle and Reiners patent.

Although I li ave shown in the drawings only one elevator car and one car-operated switch or commutator and also the floor si nals for only one elevator shaft it will e understood that any number of elevator cars may be included in such a system, there being a car-operated switch or commutator for each car and a set of floor signals for each car-shaft, and that such commutators and signals may be cross-wired in the usual manner so that one set ofpush buttonsor primary circuit closers and one set of mercury pots or secondar circuit closers, together with the setting and restoring magnets therefor, will control the circuits for all the cars of any one bank as is common in this art and as indicated in Smalle and Reiners Patent N 0. 634,220, dated ctober 3, 1899. It is not considered necessary to illustrate this duplication and cross-connection in the drawings as the same will be evident to any one skilled in the art. According to my invention I provide in connection with the system above-described, means whereby the completion of the restoring circuit for any of the secondary circuit closers in the signal circuits is dependent not only upon the closing of the connection between a restoring magnet contact such as 81 and the cooperating contact strip such as 91 by the brush means of the car-operated switch, but is also dependent as hereinafter described upon the corresponding car having previously stopped at the corresponding landing. The means which I prefer to use for this purpose comprises controlling switch means having contact means included in the restorin circuit and means for operating said switch means in such manner as to break connection between said contact means during the time that the corresponding car is in motion and to cause said contact means to be closed when the car is stopped at the landing and to be held closed at the time of closing of the restoring circuit at the car-operated switch so as to permit operation of the restoring means. Said controlling switch means 'may comprise as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 an electromagnet 100 and an armature 101 in position to be attracted by said electromagnet, said armature bein mounted on or forming part of a mo ing member 102 which is mounted to rock about pivot 103 on a sup porting bracket 104 mounted on insulating ase 105. A second armature 106 also is connected to or forms a part of rocking member 102 at the other side of the pivotal support thereof, and an electromaguet 107 is adapted to attract said armature. A contact arm 108 is mounted on rocking member 102 for example by" means of pins 109 and 110 projecting loosely therethrough and spring means 11 ma be provided for pressing sai contact arm ownwardly toward the rocking member. The fixed contact member 112 may be mounted on base 105 for example by means of a threaded support 113 so as to permit vertical adjustment thereof. Said fixed contact member may advantageously be provided with a carbon contact point 114 a ainst which the contact member 108 is adapted to rest when neither of the electromagnets are energized, as shown in Fig. 9, or when the magnet 107 is energized as hereinafter described. Suitable weight means 115 maybe provided on contact member 108 so as to give the same the desired mass. Binding posts 116, 117, 119, 1 20, 121, and 122 may be provided on base 105 and may 1 be connected respectively to the two ends of electromagnet 100, the two ends of electromagnet 107, and contact members 108 and 114 in any suitable manner.

The -usual manually-operated switch in the elevator car for controlling the movement thereof is indicated at 125, and is adapted upon movement in one direction or the other to cause upward or downward movement of the elevator car. For example, said switch may be adapted upon operation in one direction to close connection with contact member 126 as shown in Fig. 1 and upon motion in the other direction to close connection with contact member 127. Said contact members are connected respectively by wires 128 and 129 to relay means 130 and 131 which are adapted to control the o eration of contact means 132 and 133 whic are included in the main operatin circuits for causing respectively downwar and upward movement of the elevator car in the usual manner of such apparatus. From relays 130 and 131 the return wire 134 leads to any suitable source of electric current and from switch 125 a wire 135 leads to one end of electromagnet 100, from the other end of which electromagnet wire 130 leads to the other side of said source of electric current. The second electromagnet 107 may be connected by wire 142 and wires 137 and 138 respectively to two series of contact plates 139 and 140 located respectively at the down and up sides of. the caroperated switch, for example as shown, in position between the respective restoring circuit contacts 81, 83, and 85 and 82, 84, and 86. The other side of electromagnet 107 may be connected to battery 122 as hereinafter described. .It will be seen that the restori circuit brush 87 for downward travel of t e car and the corresponding brush for upward travel of the car are adapted to make contact respectively with the series of contact plates 139 and 140 and in order to provide .for maintaining such contact after said brush means have passed beyond said contact plates I prefer to provide additional brush means which are d positioned somewhat behind the brushes aforesaid and are electricall connected thereto. Said additional brush, gbr the downward motion of the car is indicated at 141 in Figs. 1 and 4, whilethe additional brush for upward movement of the car is. indicated m inoperative position at 142 in Fig. 5. Said additional brushes may, if desired, be provided with suitable spring means for resiliently holding the same against the contact plates or they may simply consist, as indi-' v of threaded pins,

cated in Figs. 4 and 5, A adapted to bescrewed into the brush carrier 39.

I also prefer to provide in connection with the above-described system a car-operators switch 149 in the elevator car for cancelling or controlling the landing and car signals for such car and a car-operators switch 150 for controlling the restoring circuits for such car, and it will be understood that each car in the installation is provided with such a switch included in the corresponding signal and restoring circuits.

The signal circuits are as follows: From the dynamo 2 a wire 152 leads to branch wires 153 and 154, wire 153 being connected to the contact arms 59 of the secondary circuit closers for the down signal circuits and wire 154 being connected to the contact arms 59 for the up signal circuits. From each mercury pot or from the other side of each secondary circuit closer a wire 155 leads to the corresponding contact of the car-operated switch, so as to connect circuit closer 31 with contact 53, circuit closer 33 with contact 55, etc. From contacts 47 to 52 inclusive, wires 156 lead to the corresponding landing signals 5 to 10 inclusive.

From said landing signals return connections 157 and 158 lead to the car-o erators signal circuit switch 149 aforesai whence connection 159 leads back to the other side of dynamo 2. From the long contact strips 73 and 74 on the down and up sides respectively of the car-operated switch, wire 160 leads to the car signal3, the other side of said signal being connected together with wire 158 to the control switch 149. It will be seen therefore that by operating said control switch or signal cancelling switch the return circuit for both the car signal and the landing signal is interrupted.

The primary or manual control circuit is as follows: From battery 22, wire 161 and wires 163 and 164 lead to the setting magnets 25 to 30 inclusive, whence wires 165 lead to the corresponding primary circuit closers to inclusive. From said circuit closers connections 166 and 167 lead through switch 96 back to battery 22. I V The wires 163 and 164 aforesaid also lead to one side of the restoring magnets 63 to 68 inclusive and from the other side of said magnets wires 168 lead to the respective.

restoring circuit contacts 81 to 86 inclusive at the car-operated switch. The restoring circuits are completed through contact strips 91 and 92, wire 169, wire 170, contact members 114 and 108, wire-171, the restoring circuit switch 150 in the car and wire 172 back to the battery 22.

Wire 161 is also connected by wire 143 to electromagnet 107 to complete the circuit thereof.

The operation of the above described signal system is as follows:

In normal or inactive condition assuming that none of the primary circuit closers or landing push buttons 14 to 21 have been 0perated by an intending passenger the secondary circuit closers are all in open position as shown in Fig. 2, that is to say the contact arms 59 of all the mercury cups 31 to 36 inclusive are held out of contact therewith as above described. Upon operation, however, of one of the push buttons by an intending passenger for example the down push button 15 at the second floor as indicated in dotted lines at 15' in Fig. 1, the corresponding primary control circuit as above described will be completed and the resulting energization of setting magnet 25 will cause the corresponding contact arm 59 to drop into the mercury cup 31 as shown in Fig. 1. The connection at the secondary circuit closer is thereby closed for the down signal circuits for the second floor and it will be understood that in an installation comprising a plurality of cars the connection thus closed is included in such signal circuits for all the cars of that particular bank.

Assuming further that the elevator car 1 is descending, when such car enters the signal zone for the down signals at the second floor, for example when such car is about two floors above the second floor, the break in the landing signal circuit at the car-operated. switch will ,be closed by engagement of the foremost pair of brushes 69 and 71 with contact members 47 and 53. A circuit'will thus be completed as follows: from dynamo 2 through wires 152 and 153, contact arm 59, mercury cup 31, wire 155, contacts 53, brushes 71 and 69, contact 47, wire 156, landing signal lamp 5, wires 157 and 158, switch 149, and wire 159 back to the dynamo. The down landing signal 5 at the second floor will thus be illuminated indicating to the waiting passenger that the car is approaching. As such car approaches closer to the second floor, for example when it is about one floor away, the foremost pair of brushes 75 and 77 will close connection between cont-act member 53 and contact strip 73 and a circuit will then be establish from contact 53, which is in connection with the dynamo as above described, through brushes 75 and 77, contact strip 73, wire 160, car signal 3 and thence back to the dynamo in the same manner as above described. Thus both the landing signal and the car signal for elevator car 1 are operated.

Since elevator car 1 is moving downwardly the manually operated car control. switch 125 in the car will be in the position shown in Fig. 1 at which time connection is made with contact member 126. An electrical circuit is thus completed as follows: wire 134, el'ectromagnet or relay 130, wire 128, contact 126, switch 125, wir 135, electromagnet. 100, and wire 136 back to the source of current. The energization of electromagnet 130 holds contact means 132 in closed position as shown so as to cause downward movement of the car. The energization of clectromagnet holds the armature 101 down against the core thereof and thereby holds the contact member 108 in raised position and (int of contact with the contact member 114 as shown in 1. A break is thereby established in the restoring circuit, so that if the operator of elevator car 1 should receive a signal to stop at the second floor and should for any reason not desire to stop in answer to such signal such car may pass on by said floor without operation of the restoring mechanism so that the secondary circuit closer 31 will remain closed and the signals will be received and given by the next succeeding Furthermore in the case of an installation comprising a plurality of cars and provided with inter-control means for preventing duplicate operation of the signals by two or more cars as described, for example, in my aforesaid patent applications, in case another car in the installation enters the signaling zone for the down signals at the second floor and assumes control of such signals before car 1 enters such zone, the operator of car 1 will not receive any car signal to stop at the second floor and will therefore pass by this floor without stopping. It frequently occurs, however, that the second car to enter a signaling zone for a certain floor, such as car lin this case, may overtake the first car before reaching such floor, for example due to the first car having also stopped at an intervening floor. It will be seen that under such conditions it would ordinarily be possible forcar 1 to pass the second floor without stopping and thus cause operation of the restoring mechanism so as to cancel the signals for the other car and thus cause much uncertainty and confusion. However, the provision of control means in the restoring circuit according to my invention prevents operation of the restoring mechanism b such second car (car 1 in the present case; due to thefact that so long as car 1 is in motion the electromagnet 100 is energized and connection is therefore broken between contacts 108 and 114.

If the operator of elevator car 1, however, receives a signal to stop at the second floor and stops in answer to such signal, the stopping of the car will be accomplished by moving switch 125 to open position. Upon so doing the circuit of electromagnet 100 is interrupted and said magnet is therefore deenergized. In Fig. 1 the brushes of the car-operated switch are shown in approximately the position which they occupy at the time the car stops at the ending and it will be seen at this time the brush 87, and the brush 141- which iselectrically connected therewith, are in engagement with a contact member 139, while brush 89 is resting on the contact strip 91. Circuit is thereby established as follows: from battery 22, through wires 161*and 143, electromagnet 107, wires 142 and 137, contact segment 139, brushes 87 and 89, contact strip 91, wires169 and 170, contact members 114 and 108, wire 171, switch 150, and wire 172, back to the battery. The resulting energization of magnet 107 causes armature 106 to be attractedto the position shown in Fig. 3, relative movement between armature 126 and contact member 108 being permitted by means of spring 111 which is compressed in such operation.

After the elevator car has stopped at the second floor and taken on the waiting passengers the car is again placed in motion by operation of switch 125 to close connection with contact member 126 so that electromagnet 100 is again energized as before. Armature 101 is prevented from being pulled toward the elcctromagnet 100, however, due to the fact that the armature 106 is at this time in contact with the core of magnet 107 which is also energized. As the car moves away from the landing the brush 87 passes off of contact member 139 and into engagement with contact segment 81. The brush 141, however, maintains contact with contact member 139 as the brush 87 comes into contact with member 81 so as to permit the following operation to take place. The distance between brushes 87 and 141 should be such as to insure that for a very short period these two brushes rest upon the respective contacts 81 and 139. .Since brush 141 is electrically connected to brush 89 the circuit of magnet 107 remains closed and connection is therefore still maintained between contacts 108 and 114. The restoring circuit is therefore then completed as follows: from battery 22 through wires 161, and 162, restorin magnet 63, wire 168, contact member 81, rushes 87 and 89, contact strip 91, wires 169 and 170, contact members 114 and 108, wire 171, switch 150, and wire 172, back to the battery. The restoring magnet is thereby operated and contact arm 59 is lifted out of mercury cup 31 thereby opening the down signal circuits for the second floor.

In the continued motion of the elevator car, the brush 1.41 passes off of contact metnher 139 and the circuit of electromagnet 107 is thereby interrupted, permitting armature 101 to be again pulled down by mag net 100 to the position shown in Fig. 1. The entire signaling system for the down signals at the second floor is then in its original inactive condition.

I will now describe the. functions of the switches 149 and 150m the elevator'car and the manner in which such functions are performed. In case theoperator of the car receives a signal to stop at a given floor, but does not wish to stop at such floor, he may open transfer switch 149, thereby cancelling both his car signal and also the landing signal, so that any other car then in the zone for that floor and direction of travel or the next car to enter such zone will assume control of the signals. 01' if the operator for any reason desires to pass certain floors without stopping and without causing operation of the signals for those floors he may open switch 149 before entermg the signal zones for such floors and leave the same open while passing through such zones. All of the signal circuits .for that car will-thus be interrupted so that no signal operation can be caused thereby. It will be observed that under either of the above conditions it is not necessary for the controlling switch in receptive condition. If, however, after the operator has stopped at a floor in response to a signal and has taken on some of the passengers waiting at such floor, he finds that he can not accommodate all of the waiting passengers it is then necessary that the signals be transferred to the next succeeding car in the zone for that floor or the next car to enter such zone and this transfer of si nals under these conditions may be accomplished by simply opening the restoring circuit switch 150 so as to open the restoring circuit and prevent operation of ,the restoring mechanism when the brush 87 comes into engagement with contact member 81. It will be observed that with the switch 150 open in this manner not only is the restoring circuit open, but the circuit of electromagnet 107 is also open so that such electromagnet is deenergized and the closing of switch 125 by the car operator to start the car will immediately open the controlling switch in the restoring circuit by breaking connection between contact members 108 and 112. Therefore as soon as the last pair of brushes- 69 and 71 and the last brush 75 pass ofi of contact members 47 and 53 the car signals and landing signals will be cancelled and any other car then in the zone or the next car to enter such zone would assume control of the signals. The operator would preferably, however, open the signal transfer switch 149 together with the restoring circuit switch 150 so that his signals both in the car and at the landing would be cancelled immediately. This is particularly desirable in case of a system provided with intercontrolling means as above described for preventing duplicate control of the signals by two cars at the same time, as it permits immediate transfer of the control of the signals to any other car then in the zone.

I claim: I

1. In an electrically controlled signal system for an elevator car, an electrically operated signal at a landing for indicating the approach and direction of travel of said car, a signal circuit including said signal and also including two normally 0 en breaks, electrically operated circuit c osing means for closing one of saidlbreaks, a manually controlled circuit including said circuit closing means, electrically operated means for restoring said circuit closing means to open position, comprising an electromagnetic device and a restoring circuit to said electro-magnetic device and including a normally open break and also including a controlling switch tending to move to closed position, electrically operated means for opening said controlling switch, a circuit including said switch opening means, car control means operable to cause said car to move or to stop, meansoperable to establish said last named circuit upon operation of said car control means to cause said car to move and to break said last named circuit upon operation of said car control means to cause said car to stop,

electrically operated means for holding said said landing, and to close said normally open break in the circuit including said holding means when the car is at said landing and until the time of closing said normally open break in the restoring circuit.

2. In an electrically controlled signal system for an elevator car, an electrically operated signal in the car, a signal circuit including said signal and also including two normally open breaks, electrically operated circuit closing means for closing one of said breaks, a manually cont-rolled circuit includ ing said circuit closing means, electrically operated means for restoring said circuit closing means to, open osition, comprising an electro-magnetic device and a circuit to said electro-magnetic device and including a normally open break and also including a controlling switch tending to move to closed position, electrically operated means for opening said controlling switch, a circuit including said switch opening means, car control means operable to cause said car to move or to stop, means operable to establish said last named circuit upon operation of said car control means to cause said car to moveand to break said last named circuit upon operation of said car control means to cause said car to stop, electrically operated means for holding said controlling switch closed against the action of said switch 0 ening means, a circuit including said holding means and also including a normally open break, and car controlled switch means operable to close the other normally open break in said signal circuit as the car approaches a landing, to close said normally open break in the restoring circuit as the car moves away from said landing and to close said normally open break in the circuit including said holding means when the car is at said landing and until the time of closing said normally open break in the restoring circuit.

3. In a signaling system for an elevator car, a landing signal, an electric circuit includin said landing signaland the contacts 0% a normally open electromagnetic circuit closing means, said means having setting and restoring magnets, a circuit inclrding the passenger operated push button and the settin magnet of said switch for closing a reak in said signal closing circuit, car controlled means for completing the signal circuit, means for restoring said circuit closing means to open position including the reset magnet, contacts defining a normally open break in the restoring circuit, car controlled means operable to close the normally open break after the car leaves the landing at which said landing signal is located, an electromagnetic switch having contact means in said restoring circuit and biased to closed position, car control means movable to one position to cause said car to move and to another position to cause the car to stop, and means connecting said car control means to said controlling switch for causing said controlling switch to be held in open position when said car control means is in position to move to position for causing the car to stop, and means including an electromagnet and car controlled switch means for holding the electromagnetic switch in closed position until the car controlled switch means operates to close said normally open break in the restoring circuit.

4. In a signal system for an elevator car, a landing signal, an electric circuit including said landing signal, normally open circuit closing means in said circuit, manually controlled means for closing said circuit closing means, means for restoring said circuit closing means to open position comprising an electro-magnetic device and a restoring circuit leading to said electro-magnetic device, car controlled switch means for closing a break in said restoring circuit after the car leaves the landing at which said landing signal is located, and means for preventing the complete closure of said restoring circuit by the operation of said car controlled switch in the event that the car has failed to stop at said landing, said preventing means comprising a controlling switch included in said restoring circuit and tending to move into circuit closing position, means normally neutralizing said tendency when the car is in motion, and means operating as an incident to the stopping of said car at said landing to render said neutralizing means ineffective to prevent said controlling switch from moving to circuit closing position and comprising in addition means for re-opening said controlling switch upon the departure of the car from said landing, and means for preventing the effective operation of said reopening means until said car controlled switch operatts to close the break in the restoring circuit.

5. In an electrically controlled signal system for an elevator car, an electrically operated signal means at a landing for indicating the approach and direction of travel of said car, a signal circuit including said signal means, a normally open circuit-closing switch also lncluded in said signal circuit, electrically operated means for closing said switch, a manually controlled circuit including said switch closing means, electrically operated means for restoring said switch to open position, a restoring circuit including said restoring means, a controlling switch also included in said restoring circuit and tending to move to closed position, electrically operated means for opening said controlling switch, car control means movable to one position to cause the car to move and to another posi tion to cause the car to stop, a circuit including said electrically operated means for opening the controlling switch and means operable to complete said last-named circuit upon movement of said car control means to position to cause the car to,move and to break said last-named circuit upon movement of said car control means to position to cause the car to stop, electrically' operated means for holding said controlling, switch closed against the action of said opening means therefor, a circuit including said holding means, car controlled switching means provided with contact means included in and defining normally open breaks in the signal circuit, the restoring circuit, and the circuit-including said holding means, and also provided with means operable in synchronism with movement of the car to close said break in the signal circuit as the car approaches said landing, to close said break in the restoring circuit as the car moves away from said landing, and to close said break in the circuit including the holding means when the car is at said landing and. until after the closing of the break in the restoring circuit, and means for supplying electric current to said circuits.

6. In an electrically controlled signal system for an elevator car, an electrically operated signal means in the car, a signal circuit including said signal means, a normally open circuit closing switch also included in said signal circuit, electrically operated means for closing said switch, a manually controlled circuit including said switch closing means, electrically operated means for restoring said switch to open position, a restoring circuit including said restoring means, a controlling switch also included in said restoring circuit and tending to move to closed position, electrically operated means for opening said controlling switch, car control means movable to one position to cause the car to move and to another position to cause the car to stop, a circuit including said electrically operated means for opening the controlling switch and means operable to complete said lastnamed circuit upon movement of said car control means to position to cause the car to move and to break said last-named circuit upon movement of said car control means to position to cause the car to stop, electrically operated means for holding said controlling switch closed a ainst the action of said opening means therefor, a circuit including said holding means, car controlled switching means provided with contact means included in and defining normally open breaks in the signal circuit, the restorin circuit, and the circuit including said holdingmeans, and also provided with means operable in synchronism with movement of the car to close said break in the signal circuit as the car approaches said landing, to close said break in the restoring circuit as the car moves away from said landing, and to close said break in the circuit includin the holding means when the car is at said landing and until after the closing of the break in the restoring circuit, and means for supplying electric current to said circuits.

7. In a signaling system for an elevator car, a landing signal, an electric circuit including said landing signal and the contacts of a normally open electro-magnetic circuit closing means, said means having associated therewith means for restoring said contacts to their normally open position comprising a restoring magnet and a circuit thereto, a circuit to said electro-magnetic circuit closing means and passenger controlled means for closing said circuit, car controlled means for completing the closure of said signal circuit after the closing of said normally open contacts, additional contacts defining a normally open break in the circuit to said restoring magnet, car controlled means operable to close the normally open break after the car leaves the landing at which said landing signal is located, an electro-magnetic switch having contact means in said restoring circuit, car control means movable to one position to cause said car to move and to another position to cause the car to'stop, and means for causing said switch to be held in open position when said car control means is in position to move the car, and means for holding the electro-magnetic switch in closed position until the car controlled means operates to close said normally open break in the circuit to said restoring magnet.

8. In a signaling system for an elevator car, a landing signal, an electric circuit including said landing signal and the contacts of a normally open electro-magnetic circuit closing means, said means having associated therewith means for restoring said contacts to their normally open position comprising a restoring magnet and a circuit thereto, a circuit to said electro-magnetic circuit closing means and passenger controlled means for closing said circuit, car controlled means for completing the closure oi said signal circuit after the closing of said normally open contacts, additional contacts defining a normally open break'in the circuit to said restoring magnet, car controlled means operable to close the normally open break after the car leaves the landing at which said landing signal is located, an electro-magnetic switch having contact means in said restoring circuit, car control means movable to one position to cause said car to move and to another position to cause the car to stop, and means connecting said car controlled means to said switch for causing said switch to be held in open position when said car control means is in position to move the car, and means for holdin the electro-magnetic switch in closed position until the car controlled means operates to close said normally open break in the circuit to said restoring magnet.

9. In a signaling system for an elevator car, a landing signal, a signal circuit including said signal and also including contacts defining two normally open breaks, passenger operated means for closing the contacts defining one of said normally open breaks, restoring means for said contacts comprising an electro-magnetic device and a restoring circuit to said electro-magnet device, car controlled means for completing said signal circuit by closing contacts defining the other normally open break, additional contacts defining a normally 0 en break in said restoring circuit, car contro led means operable to close the last-named normally open break after the car leaves the landing at which said landing signal is located, an electro-magnetic switch having contact means in said restoring circuit, car control means movable to one position to cause said car to move and to another position to cause the car to stop, and means for causing said switch to be held in open position when said car control means is in position to move the car, and means for holding said electro-magnetic switch in closed position until the ear controlled means operates to close said last-named normally open break.

10. In a'signaling system for an elevator car, a landing signal, a normally open circuit to said landing signal, means for closagainst its normal bias but ineffective to do so while said first-named electro-magnet re mains energized, and means for de-energizing said electro-magnet after the departure of the elevator from its stopping point.

11. Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the means for biasing said electro-magnetic switch to the closed position comprises a weight engaging one of the contact members of said switch, and wherein said first-named electro-magnet and said additional electromagnetic means are provided with interconnected armatures whereby the attraction by the first-named electro-magn'et of its armature prevents an opening of said switch as a result of the energization by the said additional magnetic means of its armature.

12. As a sub-combination a pair of electro magnets having inter-connecting armatures, a switch associated with said electro-magnets and provided with biasing means tending to hold said switch closed, means for opening said switch against the tendency of said biasing means by the energization of one of said electro-magnets, said means comprising and acting through the instrumentality of both said inter-connecting armatures, and means for rendering said last named means ineffective, and comprising the other of said electroqnagnets.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 18th day of November, 1926.

ROBERT H. GAYLORD. 

